The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and displays useful for monitoring players at a gaming table. Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to player monitoring systems, methods, and displays that provide a gaming table dealer with player information related to players located at different positions at the particular gaming table.
Due to competition among casinos and the desire to attract and retain gamblers, casinos generally award gamblers with complimentary services and merchandise, which are generally referred to as “comps.” Comps are typically earned on the basis of the amount of money wagered by a particular gambler/player. Generally, comps are calculated on the basis of the theoretical win for the casino (or loss for the player), which in turn depends on the odds of the game and how much was wagered by the player. A theoretical win (percentage) is generally fairly easy to calculate for gaming machines, such as slot machines, due to the automated nature of the machines and also the ability of such machines to count value wagered and awards dispensed. Comps are often provided to players who wager large amounts of money in order to entice them to remain at, or return to the casino.
For table games, as opposed to slot machines, it is more difficult to calculate the theoretical win because bets change hands instead of being accounted for by an electronic gaming machine. In order to keep exact track, or provide an accurate estimate, of a player's gambling at table games, it is desirable to capture the size of each bet and the frequency of the bets, or the number of bets per unit of time. Keeping track of a player's betting activities in such ways is typically too cumbersome for casinos to do and therefore, casinos generally estimate a player's bets on the basis of the average bets at a particular gaming table in the casino. The casino can adjust the estimate of the player's average bet if it is observed (e.g., by the dealer or pit boss) that the player regularly bets more per bet and/or bets more in a given amount of time (number of games per hour, for example). Based upon the average bet and the known performance of the table game, e.g. win percentage, the theoretical win for the casino can then be calculated.
Comps have become a big point of attraction for casinos and, among other things, generally include free luxury suites and similar perks casinos generally offer their “high roller” customers, to less-expensive rewards such as free meals, merchandise, etc., offered to others. For example, a player who walks away with a large win (which itself usually results in a corresponding high player-loss to the casino based on the table odds) will receive the same comps as another player who incurs a loss (which itself is a direct win for the casino) where the two players play the same game and wager the same amount of money.
In attempt to more closely monitor gamblers and discern their respective betting patterns and overall worth to the casino, major casinos including those with multiple properties, have developed a practice of issuing a type of identification card to facilitate monitoring (typically with electronically identifiable information) of the betting activities of players. Such cards typically have a magnetic strip that carries player name, identification (ID) or account number for the player as well as other relevant information. On slot machines, a player typically inserts his card into a reader attached to or incorporated in the machine and thus, all coins dropped by the player are credited to his account from which the theoretical win of the casino is calculated and then credited to the player's account at a central computer. Some casinos have further attempted to better track player betting activity at gaming tables by implementing card-reading systems at individual gaming tables.
FIG. 1 depicts a prior art player monitoring system 1 implemented on a blackjack table 10 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,589. Prior art system 1 is described as being configured for tracking play of players at the blackjack table 10, as well as providing information pertaining to the players, and includes a card reader 12 located adjacent a dealer position 13. The card reader 12 is coupled to a central computer 14 via a communication channel 15. The central computer 14 keeps track of the various players' accounts. Each player's account may include player information, such as, for example, the player's account number. System 1 includes a display monitor 20 that displays a representation of the blackjack table 10, including all player positions 11 (11a-11g) while a game is being played. In operation, when a player sits down at the table, the player presents his or her player card to the dealer, who then enters or “swipes” the card into the card reader 12. After a card is read by the card reader 12, the dealer touches the respective player position on the display monitor 20 where the player whose card has just been read is seated, thus associating the table position of the new player with the new player.
While player monitoring systems and methods in accordance with the prior art, such as described above, may prove useful for some applications, problems and difficulties may arise, particularly in relation to dealer input of player position at a table, e.g., with regard to complexity of data input operations and requisite time for performing the same.